Story-Based Design: A Sample of Higher Education and Cultural Projects by GWWO Architects

STORY- BASED DESIGN A Sample of Higher Education and Cultural Projects

GWWO STRIVES TO ENRICH THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE THROUGH RESPONSIBLE DESIGN THAT IS INSPIRATIONAL, EVOCATIVE AND PROGRESSIVE. 2 | GWWO ARCHITECTS

Story-based design is the focused, in-depth exploration of a project’s context—cultural, historical and physical. GWWO’s work is driven by a consistent philosophical approach, rather than a predetermined style. Our philosophy is founded in the exploration of the relationships between narrative and context. We believe that for architecture to be truly meaningful, it should expand the traditional notions of context—setting, scale, massing, materiality—to include the cultural and historical aspects of the site and organization. Through extensive research into each project, we discover the essential component of context that can inextricably tie architecture to its setting. Once established, this core idea is rigorously adhered to and influences every aspect of the design. Utilizing this story-based design approach, a unique response for each project unfolds.

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“ By drawing every student in to encounter and enjoy drama, music and visual art, the GWWO design [returns] the arts to their rightful place: at the heart of the Washington College experience.” — Baird Tipson, retired President, Washington College

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Washington College Gibson Center for the Arts Originally stoic and inward-looking, the existing Gibson Hall did little to reveal the performing arts to the campus and was a looming presence on the College’s main academic square. Inside, the Music and Drama Departments shared overcrowded facilities that were inadequate to fulfill their missions. The expanded and renovated Performing Arts Center puts the arts “on stage” and engages the larger campus community in the arts. The transparent entry façade invites onlookers and encourages interaction, while the translucent recital hall serves as a visual beacon during evening performances. New exterior gathering areas and amphitheater-like steps enliven the square and offer a setting for impromptu practice and performance. The new building houses state-of-the-art teaching and performance spaces. Like the melody in a musical composition or the plot of a play, an undulating Theme Wall organizes the key interior spaces and provides a method of harmoniously merging disparate program elements into a cohesive whole. The two departments each retain their own unique features, yet are united in their focus on the arts.

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Located on a highly visible site, the Gibson Center for the Arts is a campus anchor. The College desired a modern, progressive design to draw people in, while respecting the character of the surrounding campus and integrating with the various styles of the other buildings constructed on or near the square in the 60s, 70s and 90s. The design intent was not only to make a statement, but to give a physical identity to the academic departments housed within the center.

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Designing for the Performing Arts Creating dynamic and flexible spaces for teaching, performing, and viewing requires thoughtful consideration of programmatic functions and technical requirements. Modern performance spaces demand high versatility allowing for multiple stage configurations and performance formats along with flexibility for fluctuating audience sizes. Areas for socially-friendly seating promote interaction before and after the performance, raising the overall level of engagement. Technical features such as lighting, acoustics, and sightlines—all critically evaluated at each phase by the design team—should positively impact the experience, yet remain imperceptible to the audience allowing the focus to remain on the performance.

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“Top notch firm. The staff are very responsive to client needs. Innovative designs that are ‘buildable.’ I would highly recommend GWWO ...” —S am Beeghley, Project Manager, Community College of Baltimore County

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Community College of Baltimore Mathematics & Science Hall The new Mathematics and Science Hall at CCBC celebrates the sciences and provides a striking transition between the adjacent campus loop road and parking and the campus interior and academic quad. Serving as a central gathering and circulation space, a two-story glass atrium connects both spaces and students, unifying the renovated former library and new addition. Massing of the new complex is broken down into three components: atrium, planetarium, and laboratories. Field stone, brick, and zinc—materials found throughout campus—are expressed in horizontal lines and clad the laboratory volume, further breaking down its mass, while playing against the vertical drum form of the planetarium to create a dynamic asymmetrical composition. Field stone was chosen as a nod to the historicity of the campus, while the zinc is a modern interpretation of traditional zinc cladding on farm buildings, such as tin roofs. The new facility, which is a physical gateway to the quad, also serves as a metaphorical gateway to workforce and career success. CCBC is providing the opportunity for students who may otherwise not attend, or go back to, school to learn in the highest quality collegiate space with advanced technology they would find at four year, specialized institutions.

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Evidence overwhelmingly suggests that students who participate in collaborative learning are more likely to retain a higher level of knowledge from informal and social interactions over lecture-style instruction. This shift has grossly expanded the opportunities for learning outside of the classroom. Collaboration happens naturally where there is flexibility and comfort, thus spaces must be designed to appeal to a broad variety of student personalities and usage including size, visibility, and technology. Defined spaces— from benches outside of classrooms to soft seating areas— located along main circulation routes promote spontaneous interaction. Meeting rooms with flexible furniture, accessible technology, and views out engage small groups and advance creativity. GWWO ARCHITECTS | 13

“GWWO combines exceptional design talent & expertise with excellent customer service.” — David Mayhew, FAIA, Director, Architecture & Engineering, Towson University

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Towson University West Village Commons Organized around a central atrium, the Commons was envisioned as the iconic anchor and landmark center of the West Village precinct. The building communicates the spirit and energy of the campus, offering a vibrant inviting space, both in and out. The exterior expression of the Commons, the design of the interior gathering spaces, and the open, multi-floor circulation core, as well as the selection of materials and finishes, all play significant roles in breathing life into the facility and making students feel at home. Drawing students in, the building provides opportunities for out-of-class learning through both formal and informal spaces. Exterior terraces and dining areas integrate the building with the site and promote interaction between the building and the Village’s main quad. The building achieved LEED Gold Certification and includes energy efficient features such as natural lighting, numerous water conservation measures, and a green roof. The roof serves as a practical cooling system and also as a third floor outdoor event and gathering space. The project’s design further preserves, integrates and embraces the existing specimen Elm tree, one of the largest and oldest in the state, located on the east side of the project site.

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The building is a “bridge” focused on forging connections—within the precinct and with the adjacent off-campus residential housing. Rotation of the building’s third and fourth levels from the grounded lower levels responds to the steeply sloped site, engaging the hill, bridging the access road, and allowing multiple on-grade access and egress points. Exterior terraces and dining areas further integrate the building with the site and promote interaction between the building and the precinct’s main quad. A projecting area of glazing terminates a campus axis and ties the new building to its adjacent green space to the north.

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State of the Art Dining Experiences Creating meaningful dining experiences for today’s discerning students focuses on multiple offerings, transparency, and flexibility. Students crave options, including customizable meals and varying cuisines that rotate daily; desire restaurant-style experiences including fresh preparation as you wait, visible nutritional information, and high-quality finishes; and want convenient, expanded service hours, grab and go options, and quick service. Comfortable and moveable furnishings, solo and group dining options, and accessible outdoor areas, engage and encourage collaboration between diners, foster longer stays, and create a vibrancy that permeates throughout.

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“Another exemplary design effort by GWWO... It is rare that project teams come together as well as yours did with our campus and committees.” — Baird Tipson, retired President, Washington College

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Washington College Hodson Hall To return the College’s only dining and student center to prominence, a grim 1965 addition was demolished, and a new addition was added to bring more natural light, modern amenities, and campus connectivity to the facility. Integrating the old and new, the design enhances and highlights the architecture of the original building, while seamlessly establishing a more modern design aesthetic to give the building to a more contemporary image. Conceived as a set of bookends with a minimal modern link, the addition is comprised of a glass and slate central volume anchored by a traditional form opposite historic building. The traditional aesthetic also responds to the historic character of the College and surrounding town. Entrances on the north and south allow students to filter in and out of the building from both ends of campus. Designed as a series of nodes, the interior is organized around a central thoroughfare between the two entrances. Student activity spaces, dining, and a large egg-shaped multipurpose room are visually connected to this main circulation route. The flexible “egg” can be closed up for private events or opened for performance overflow and additional dining. A grand stair spills into the central space with wedge shaped openings to dining above, filtering light down from a skylight. Second level dining is broken up by two pods that provide students with alternative, 22 | GWWO ARCHITECTS

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Existing

New

Existing

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Revitalization of Existing Facilities Many of the firm's most creative and sustainable design solutions have been developed through our work with renovation and revitalization projects. These projects have involved full gut renovations and space reconfigurations, as well as systemic renovations, and we pride ourselves in applying the same level of design rigor to these projects as we do new buildings. Many of our renovations for higher education facilities involve the preservation of historic buildings, an expertise in which we have an extensive and successful past.

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"This building symbolizes a new era at MICA. It demonstrates MICA's commitment to meld design thinking, art making, entrepreneurship and realworld collaboration for 21st century creativity and innovation." — Samuel Hoi, President, MICA

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Maryland Institute College of Art Dolphin Building The new Dolphin Design Center at the Maryland Institute College of Art is a state-of- the-art maker building designed to house program space for MICA’s product design, architectural design and interactive arts/ game design departments as well as fabrication and exhibit spaces. Toted as the third industrial revolution, the Maker Movement continues to thrive. The accessibility of personal technology coupled with a desire for self-reliance and original works has given rise to this new culture. Centered on the concepts of self-directed learning and collaboration, makers learn new skills and create by doing, both receiving and offering insight to those around them. The informal, open studio spaces of the Dolphin Design Center allow for hands-on exploration of a wide range of project types and sizes. Flexible power access and moveable furniture encourage students and faculty to move around—interacting with others, sharing resources and knowledge, and solving challenges.

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Sited at the edge of the Bolton Hill Historic District, a Baltimore neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places, the building is highly sensitive to its context in scale, massing, and color while a “kit of parts” exterior material palette, assembled with visible mechanical connections and fasteners, hint to the innovation and invention happening within, while also serving as a tool for learning and exploration. The interior of the building is industrial and gritty, with exposed ceilings, HVAC systems, and structural connections. The exposed steel structure of the new building relates to the neighborhood buildings adjacent to its site, and details and materials throughout reflect those of the train station’s, allowing this modern building to seamlessly integrate into the overall site.

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“ Our staff couldn’t be happier with the impact the Heritage Center has had on the monument. The building, exhibits, and film really help us do our job of explaining and interpreting homesteading history for our visitors. The many years of work and planning of the building were very much worth it.” — Mark Engler, Superintendent, Homestead National Monument of America

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Homestead Heritage Center Inspired by the homesteading experience, the design of the Homestead Heritage Center creates a distinguishable form on the landscape, and the building appears to grow from the land. Simple yet evocative, the roof form suggests imagery associated with the American frontier: a plowshare, the billowing canvas of a covered wagon, a furrow in the earth. The visitor experience parallels that of the historic migration. Moving east to west, like the original settlers, visitors embark on a metaphorical journey traveling backwards to the virgin prairie that was the destination for so many courageous and tenacious homesteaders. Visitors park their cars in the one-acre square parking lot (1/160th of a homestead) and approach on foot, symbolic of the struggle the homesteaders faced as they neared their new homes. A site wall binds the path to the building and provides protection against the whipping prairie winds. Silhouettes of each of the homesteading states adorn the wall, each depicting a visual representation of the percentage of land successfully homesteaded in each state. Ever present, the wall continues into the building, a constant reminder of the homesteading journey. 34 | GWWO ARCHITECTS

As one enters the center, an expansive view of the restored prairie dominates—the same view that greeted the homesteaders 150 years ago— emphasizing the untouched vastness that was the West. From this vantage point, visitors recognize the challenges the homesteaders faced and the immense influence they had on farming and the development of the American Midwest.

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Immersive Visitor Experiences Visitor experiences are shaped by more than just the built form. GWWO believes in creating immersive experiences that seamlessly blend all aspects of the design—from the surrounding landscape to the building itself—to peak curiosity, encourage discovery, and imbue meaning. Our early and consistent collaboration with exhibit and landscape designers culminates in cohesive and contextual solutions that weave together the fundamental elements of each project, and results in a compelling experience of the project as a whole. GWWO ARCHITECTS | 37

“ I am part of all that I have met; yet all experience is an arch where through gleams that untraveled world whose margin fades forever when I move.” — Tennyson’s Ulysses

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The Cade Museum for Creativity + Invention The Cade Museum’s design was conceived as a metaphor for the human brain. Just as experience fosters creativity, and creativity leads to invention, neurons in the brain grow and make new connections—in new and different ways—with every new experience. Like some of history’s greatest inventions that became platforms for future inventions, the brain is where experiences are reformulated to create new ideas that in turn influence others—leading to invention. The building is organized around one space— the main hall—where all experiences come together. Like Ulysses in Tennyson’s poem, this space is a part of all of the spaces in the museum, yet at the same time becomes the foundation upon which they are experienced. A distinguishable form, the main hall draws visitors in from Main Street with views into and through the museum. It is clad in overlapping panels of textured metal, symbolic of ideas and experiences coming together, with the individual wedge-shaped galleries growing organically from its core. Inside, it is a vortex of creative energy. An oculus to the sky, symbolic of Tennyson’s “arch,” opens the space to the universe and all that it holds, while a prominent link to a large outdoor gathering plaza forges a connection with the surrounding Depot Park. 40 | GWWO ARCHITECTS

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Many times during collaborative design charettes and early research phases, clients elaborate on stories that would not have been identified without them. Here, the client had a keen interest in the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Spiral and their occurrence in nature and science. During design discussions the team was able to capitalize on this idea of Fibonacci in nature, and intertwine it into the form and story of the Cade Museum. The image above shows the Fibonacci spiral overlaid on the museum’s floor plan, illustrating how the building seems to unwind as the spiral unfolds, similar to leaves on a stem or the curve of a shell.

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“ After years of planning … the designers found just the right tone. They struck a balance among the competing forces of client expectations, functional needs, site constraints and opportunities, historical and cultural context, and budget.” — Roger K. Lewis, Architecture Critic & Columnist, The Washington Post

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George Washington’s Mount Vernon Orientation & Museum and Education Center Complex An iconic American landmark, George Washington’s Mount Vernon boasts over one million visitors per year, making it one of the nation’s most visited historic sites. While the popularity of Mount Vernon grew exponentially after his death, the estate has always been a model for stewardship and hospitality. To gracefully handle such an influx of people, Washington developed a sequence of views and paths that not only led visitors, but also heightened their anticipation by providing multiple glimpses of the mansion prior to arrival. Just like this bucolic yet formal approach, the new Ford Orientation Center at Mount Vernon eases visitors into the calm within the estate, leaving the fast-paced world behind. Similar to the path created by Washington, specific views connect visitors to the estate, offering glimpses of their destination and guiding an experience of the estate’s beauty and pastoral qualities as they move through the center. Particularly, the curved shape of the elliptical window wall directs the eye outward to the pasture while establishing a smooth flow, moving visitors through the

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After visiting George Washington’s historic mansion, the Orientation Center, and the historic grounds, guests travel a sloping path leading to the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center. Reflective of Washington’s view that nature is at the center of any visit to Mount Vernon, the center is a quiet presence in the landscape. With much of the Reynolds Center tucked beneath a four-acre pasture to prevent its size from overwhelming the estate, the design reconciles the compelling yet conflicting objective of achieving underground construction without visitors realizing they are underground. Through careful siting and utilization of windows and skylights, visitors never perceive the transition to below grade. On approach, visitors see—and see through—the building to views of nature on the opposite site. They enter a light-filled lobby on the mezzanine level of the entry pavilion and look out over a carpet of treetops reminiscent of the hanging wood Washington favored for the mansion. Clerestory windows afford views to the sky and filtered light from two skylights accentuates key points on the path as visitors descend a grand stair, where the education center and museum entrances are revealed.

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The 36,000-SF education center features multi-media exhibits, three theaters, classrooms, and distance learning facilities focused on providing innovative learning opportunities for school children, families, and researchers. The new 5,000-SF museum showcases objects and artifacts relating to the life and times of George Washington, including a 1,000-SF changing exhibit area.

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In the Spirit of George Washington One of the most hotly debated subjects in the field of architecture today is the language of new buildings built in historic contexts. Given the mission of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association to restore the historic estate to its 1799 condition, it was clear that visitors should understand the new facilities were not of George Washington’s time. Visitors should not mistakenly perceive the boundaries of the historic curtilage as encompassing the new buildings. The design team continually asked what George Washington, the innovator, the dignified, calm, and powerful leader, would design if he were living today, and how he would express the mission of the new buildings in architecture. It was evident that copying the mansion’s Georgian/Federal style would be the wrong solution. Not only would mimicry of the existing historic estate style potentially confuse visitors as to the origin of the buildings, but it would also be in conflict with their appreciation of Washington’s own sense of style, innovation, and leadership. Rather than copying the historic style, the new buildings are designed in a way that generates a productive tension between the historic precedent and a modern-day architectural expression—a clear, but respectful delineation between the old and the new. From this understanding, the design team developed a philosophy of “In the Spirit of George Washington” for the language and soul of the buildings. At every turn, the design sought to acknowledge the influence of Washington, his landscape design, the central role that nature played in his life, his dignity, his leadership, and his innovative character. Details, choice of materials, and spatial volumes within the new buildings and their surrounding sites were selected to be purposeful toward this overarching goal.

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Powerful Visitor Experiences From creating dynamic and inviting entry experiences to fostering engaging and interactive opportunities for interpretation, cultivating the ultimate visitor experience requires extensive forethought, planning, and research. GWWO’s process involves a holistic approach that begins with the deconstruction of the visitor sequence—arrival, decompression, reception, orientation, interpretation, and transformation—in order to arrive at an ideal design solution. Focusing on each element, we explore ways in which the physical space can make a positive impact on the overall experience, from layout and intuitive wayfinding to size, function, and visitor flow. Through benchmarking and the use of our proprietary programming tool, we establish appropriate spatial relationships and requirements based on previous experience, while also incorporating each project’s projected visitation and goals. Most importantly, we understand how people move— naturally and intuitively—and the methods that can be explored to improve crowd control—including pacing and pulsing—thereby consistently promoting the most impactful visitor experience possible. GWWO ARCHITECTS | 53

“ From its unique shape that looks like the bow of a ship rising mid-point out of the earth, to the amazing view from the seventh floor observation deck of all the activities on-going within the confines of the port, it’s hard to be concise about all it offers. It’s so impressive.” — Visitor comment, Trip Advisor

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Exploration Tower at Port Canaveral Rich in culture and natural beauty, Florida’s Brevard County encompasses a collection of stories—cruising, the space coast, the military, nature, and local beaches—all linked by the common characteristics of transience, function, and imagery. From the annual migration of native loggerhead sea turtles to the constant movement of grand passenger cruise ships, planes, submarines, and NASA’s spectacular rocket launches, transience defines the site. Serving as a beacon, the new Exploration Tower appears as a constant reference for the multitude of craft, and even aquatic life, entering and departing the waters of Port Canaveral. Coated with an iridescent paint, the tower’s protective metal skin subtly shifts depending on the sun and observer’s positioning, contributing to a constant sense of movement. Functiondriven form—a common aesthetic associated with Brevard County—prompts natural and man-made design as observed in the curvilinear organic forms of seashells and aquatic life and the advanced marine and aerospace engineering associated with the Space Coast. Functionally, the tower’s southfacing shell protects the interior from the harsh Florida sun, while providing elevated panoramic views of the Port and Cape Canaveral to the north.

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Inside, exhibits occupy every floor and are experienced by ascending through the building, culminating with panoramic views from an exterior observation deck where visitors can observe both natural and man-made objects moving through air and water surrounding the site.

Influenced by the strong local imagery, the tower’s tapered and curvilinear form conjures visions of a shuttle preparing for launch, a surfboard in the sand, a ship’s hull, and a rocket contrail, while also representing the balance between form and function, repelling the daily ocean breeze and potential hurricane force winds.

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A double-height lobby and gift shop space feature a permanent art installation by artist Sayaka Ganz. The sculpture, entitled “Embrace,” is comprised of reclaimed trash and recycling gathered from nearby beaches.

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“ Each time I visit the Robinson Nature Center, I am reminded of the tremendous amount of thought, precision, and hard work that went into creating this true community treasure.” — Ken Ulman, former County Executive, Howard County, Maryland

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Robinson Nature Center The Robinson Nature Center was in large part the vision of Anne Robinson, whose dream was to preserve the land of her estate, keeping it pristine and free of dense commercial and residential development. Declining decades of offers from developers, and even rumored to chase some off her property with a broom, Anne donated the land to the community before her death in hopes it would one day be home to a nature center. Taking cues from the 19th century frame house and barn originally found on the Robinson homestead, the new center named after Anne and her husband is constructed primarily of wood and stone, which is also reminiscent of the historic Simpsonville Mill, the remains of which are still located nearby. Designed to immerse visitors in a rich environmental education experience from the moment they enter the site and throughout their visit, the center is nestled into its sloped site. Largely below grade to minimize impact on the site, the three-story structure appears modest upon approach, allowing visitors to experience the beauty of the site. Descending through the center’s main “Life of the Forest” exhibit, visitors move from the level of tree canopy to forest floor both inside and out. Expanses of glass enhance the interpretive experience by offering on-going connections to nature, while also providing natural lighting for the interiors in support of the center’s sustainable mission.

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Responsible Design As designers and stewards of the built environment, we take seriously our obligation to make smart, thoughtful, and innovative design decisions today that will affect tomorrow’s future. We embrace and balance this responsibility—continually striving to preserve not only the natural, but also the cultural and historical environments—with our duty to provide the best design solutions for each client. To us, sustainability is more than just achieving certification: it is about designing responsibly, a tenet at the core of our mission. All encompassing, this mindset influences everything we do, from proper siting and comprehensive programming efforts to the more common sustainable strategies related to materials selection, water conservation, energy usage, and efficiencies. Ultimately, we design for less environmental impact and consumption and more efficiency, savings, and sensitivity. GWWO ARCHITECTS | 65